Cross-sectional fat fraction analysis of the gluteus medius and minimus muscle in asymptomatic vs. symptomatic hips using 2-point Dixon MRI.

Background: To evaluate cross-sectional fat fractions (FF) of the hip abductors in asymptomatic compared to symptomatic hips in elderly patients using 2-point Dixon MRI, and compare them to the Goutallier classification.

Methods: In this retrospective (clinicial trial number: not applicable) single-center study, two radiologists assessed cross-sectional fatty infiltration of the gluteus minimus (Gmin) and medius (Gmed) muscles in both hips of patients with unilateral greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS) using 2-point Dixon MRI-derived fat fractions (FF). Additionally, fatty infiltration was assessed on T1w sequences using the Goutallier classification.

Pain relief after CT-guided pars injections in lumbar spondylolysis: analysis of MRI findings and CT-contrast distribution.

Objectives: To analyze pain relief in spondylolysis patients with chronic lower back pain (CLBP) after CT-guided bilateral pars injections and investigate MRI findings and CT-contrast distribution as predictors of successful pain relief.

Materials And Methods: Patients with bilateral spondylolysis and CLBP receiving CT-guided pars injections were assessed for pain relief 15 min and 1 month post-injection, using a numeric rating scale (NRS) and percentage pain reduction (PPR). Two radiologists assessed lumbar findings on prior MRI and CT-contrast distribution during injection.

Gadolinium concentration dependent signal enhancement profiles using routine clinical sequences with gadopiclenol, gadoterate, gadobutrol, and gadoxetate at 1.5, 3 and 7 Tesla.

Purpose: Gadopiclenol, a new gadolinium-(Gd) based contrast agent (GBCA), exhibits a higher longitudinal relaxivity (r) than current standard GBCAs, and, thus, has the potential to be used at lower dose or to generate a brighter T1-weighted (T1w) signal at equivalent dose. As the relationship between enhancement and contrast agent concentration is non-linear, the signal profiles should be experimentally explored and compared to those of current GBCAs.

Materials And Methods: Standardized aqueous dilution series (0.

Evaluation of deltoid muscle quality in reverse shoulder arthroplasty: correlation of MRI findings with postoperative function and strength.

Objectives: To evaluate associations between MRI-derived deltoid muscle parameters (areal fatty infiltration [FI] and cross-sectional area [CSA]) and clinical outcomes one year after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA).

Materials And Methods: In this prospective, cross-sectional study, RTSA patients underwent 1.5-T MRI one year after surgery.

Traumatic knee injuries and career drop-outs in adolescent competitive alpine skiers aged 15-19: a longitudinal 4-year follow-up study examining rates, biomechanical injury risk factors and potential reasons for quitting.

Introduction: The aims of this longitudinal 4-year follow-up study were (1) to assess traumatic knee injuries and career drop-out rates in competitive alpine skiers from mid- to late adolescence (i.e. 15-19 years), (2) to investigate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities in the knees of skiers reaching late adolescence, and (3) to evaluate the biomechanical landing patterns of mid adolescent skiers and to compare skiers who experienced an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during the 4-years follow-up and those who did not.

Deep learning CAIPIRINHA-accelerated 3D MRI of the knee cartilage at 7 Tesla.

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility and degree of scan-time reduction that can be achieved by deep learning (DL)-reconstruction in 3D dual-echo steady-state (DESS) knee-cartilage imaging accelerated with CAIPIRINHA (controlled aliasing in parallel imaging results in higher acceleration) at 7 Tesla (T).

Methods: 35 knee joints of 18 volunteers were imaged using an isotropic fat-suppressed DL-reconstructed CAIPIRINHA-accelerated DESS sequence (CAIPIRINHA) with an isotropic resolution of 0.25 mm.

Medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasties: Radiographic findings associated with conversion to total knee arthroplasty - A Case control study.

Purpose: Identify radiographic findings after Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty (UKA) that might lead to conversion to Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) in comparison to an asymptomatic control group without the need to conversion to TKA.

Materials And Methods: Radiographs of patients with UKA before aseptic conversion to TKA were compared to an asymptomatic control group without conversion. Radiographic findings like osteolytic rim, osteolysis, material integrity and positioning, periprosthetic fractures, and osteoarthritis (OA) were evaluated.

Photon-counting detector CT in musculoskeletal imaging: benefits and outlook.

Photon-counting detector CT (PCD-CT) represents a significant advancement in medical imaging, particularly for musculoskeletal (MSK) applications. Its primary innovation lies in enhanced spatial resolution, which facilitates improved detection of small anatomical structures such as trabecular bone, osteophytes, and subchondral cysts. PCD-CT enables high-quality imaging with reduced radiation doses, making it especially beneficial for populations requiring frequent imaging, such as pediatric patients and individuals with multiple myeloma.

Prevalence and origin of prominent nutrient channels of the ilium bone on MR-imaging.

Objective: Prominent nutrient vessels are commonly seen in the ilium bone, but little is known about their anatomical characteristics. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and morphology of these vessels and associated bone-marrow changes of the ilium using MRI.

Materials And Methods: MRI-examinations of the pelvis in 245 patients were analyzed retrospectively.

Sports-related Hip Injuries.

Sports-related injuries of the hip joint and surrounding structures are frequently encountered in athletes, encompassing a wide spectrum of osseous, intra-articular, and extra-articular pathologies. Early and accurate detection of typical injury patterns across various sports can expedite recovery. Delayed diagnosis often leads to prolonged return to play and progression of low grade to more severe injuries.

Diagnostic value of a coronal STIR sequence in conjoined lumbar nerve root detection: an MRI accuracy study.

Objectives: To assess diagnostic accuracy for conjoined lumbosacral nerve root (CLNR) detection on MRI when adding a coronal STIR sequence to the standard lumbar spine protocol.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective study, two radiologists assessed the presence of CLNR and lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (LSTV), using a standard lumbar MRI protocol and an expanded protocol with an additional coronal STIR sequence. Prior radiologist consensus using the expanded protocol served as a reference standard for diagnosis.

Assessment of the Rotator Cuff Muscles: State-of-the-Art MRI and Clinical Implications.

Rotator cuff (RC) tears are a common cause of shoulder pain and, depending on the tear pattern, can substantially limit daily activities and affect quality of life. After a tendon tear, the RC muscle undergoes degenerative changes, including fatty degeneration and volume atrophy. The extent of fatty muscle degeneration has been associated with poorer functional and surgical outcomes after RC reconstruction, and the evaluation of the RC muscles is one of the most important factors for deciding whether to perform an RC repair.

Severity of Bone Marrow Edema on MRI Predicts the Diagnostic Potential of Foot Joint Injections.

Background: Intraarticular steroid and local anesthetic injections are often performed for foot pain. Localizing the exact joint acting as a pain generator in foot pain is eminent for optimal and cost-effective treatment. Because of the complex anatomy of the foot with multiple small articulations side by side, this can be challenging.

Ischiofemoral impingement in joint preserving hip surgery: prevalence and imaging predictors.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of ischiofemoral impingement (IFI) in young patients evaluated for joint-preserving hip surgery and investigate its associations with osseous deformities and intra-articular pathologies.

Methods: Retrospective study of 256 hips (224 patients, mean age 34 years) that were examined with radiographs and MR arthrography for hip pain. Quadratus femoris muscle edema was used to indicate IFI and measurements of ischiofemoral space were performed.

Accuracy of Dual-Energy CT-derived Fat Maps and Bone Marrow Edema Maps in Pedal Osteomyelitis Diagnosis.

Background In patients who cannot undergo MRI, dual-energy CT (DECT) with bone marrow edema (BME) maps are used as an approach for diagnosing pedal osteomyelitis, but with lower accuracy. Purpose To compare the diagnostic accuracy of additional bone marrow fat maps with that of DECT with BME maps and MRI for pedal osteomyelitis detection. Materials and Methods In this prospective study, thirty-one participants with clinically suspected osteomyelitis of the mid- and forefoot underwent noncontrast DECT (80 kV/140 kV) and MRI between October 2020 and February 2022.

MRI evaluation of Pacinian corpuscle number and distribution in the forefoot in diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy.

Objectives: To evaluate Pacinian corpuscles (PC) in the forefoot of patients with type 2 diabetes-derived sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSP) with MRI.

Materials And Methods: This single-center study compared 20 DSP patients who underwent clinical forefoot 3-T MRI to healthy volunteers matched for age and gender. Two radiologists independently assessed the number and distribution of PC.

3D Muscle Volume and 3D Fat Fraction After Successful and Failed Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair at 5-Year Follow-up.

Background: The results of rotator cuff (RC) repair surgery can be influenced by the presence of muscle atrophy and fatty infiltration. Three-dimensional (3D) quantitative data regarding those degenerative muscle changes after successful or failed RC repair are rare in the current literature.

Hypothesis/purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze muscle volume and fatty infiltration of the supraspinatus muscle after successful and failed arthroscopic RC tendon repair, with a minimum follow-up of 5 years.

Implementing tin-prefiltration in routine clinical CT scans of the lower extremity: impact on radiation dose.

Objectives: Several studies have demonstrated the potential of tin-prefiltration to reduce radiation dose while maintaining diagnostic image quality for musculoskeletal imaging. Still, no study has reported data on the impact of tin-prefiltration on radiation dose reduction for clinical routine scanning.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective inclusion of 300 clinically indicated CT scans of the pelvis, knee, and ankle before January 2020 (without tin filter) and after December 2020 (with tin filter).

Evaluating Undersampling Schemes and Deep Learning Reconstructions for High-Resolution 3D Double Echo Steady State Knee Imaging at 7 T: A Comparison Between GRAPPA, CAIPIRINHA, and Compressed Sensing.

Objective: The 3-dimensional (3D) double echo steady state (DESS) magnetic resonance imaging sequence can image knee cartilage with high, isotropic resolution, particularly at high and ultra-high field strengths. Advanced undersampling techniques with high acceleration factors can provide the short acquisition times required for clinical use. However, the optimal undersampling scheme and its limits are unknown.

CT imaging findings in symptomatic patients with and without revision surgery after reverse shoulder arthroplasty.

Objectives: To evaluate CT imaging findings in symptomatic patients with and without revision surgery (RS) after reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA).

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective study, two radiologists assessed CT imaging findings in symptomatic patients with RSA over 5 years, including material fracture and loosening of the peg, baseplate, screws, and humeral stem, screw positioning, prosthesis dislocation, glenoid notching, fractures, and deltoid muscle quality. The primary outcome parameter was RS.

Longitudinal Assessment of Intersegmental Abnormalities in the Lumbar Spine of Adolescent Competitive Alpine Skiers Over 48 Months.

Background: Overuse-related intersegmental abnormalities in the spine of competitive alpine skiers are common findings. However, longitudinal changes in intersegmental abnormalities and symptoms throughout adolescence have not been assessed.

Purpose: To longitudinally assess and compare overuse-related spinal intersegmental abnormalities in adolescent competitive alpine skiers over 48 months and to compare magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in asymptomatic and symptomatic skiers.

Intramuscular fatty infiltration and its correlation with muscle composition and function in hip osteoarthritis.

Background: Hip osteoarthritis patients display higher levels of fatty infiltration (FI) in the gluteus minimus (GM) compared to other hip muscles. We investigated specific histological factors such as fiber type composition and collagen deposition, and functional outcomes like muscle strength and activation associated with FI in these patients.

Methods: In twelve men (67 ± 6 y) undergoing total hip replacement (THR), hip and knee muscle strength and activation (electromyography, EMG) were assessed bilaterally.

Assessment of the available evidence for the use of 7-Tesla (T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in neurological and musculoskeletal disorders, with comparison to 3-T and 1.5-T MRI: A systematic scoping review.

Background: Ultra-high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at a field strength of 7 Tesla (T) has marked a significant milestone in diagnostic imaging since it was approved for clinical use in 2017. Despite the potential to improve image analysis by advances in signal-to-noise ratio, and improved spatial resolution and metabolic imaging, the clinical implementation of 7-T MRI remains limited. Factors that contribute to this limited availability are the high price, the operating costs, the need for specifically educated personnel, and lack of evidence of clinical benefit.

Contrast-enhanced pseudo-CT of finger joints: Improved diagnostic confidence for detection of inflammatory erosions.

Purpose: To evaluate the interest of additional pseudo-CT images to standard clinical contrast-enhanced MR images (CE-MRI) in the detection of inflammatory erosions and to differentiate them from intraosseous ganglia at the finger joints.

Method: 47 prospectively included patients with suspected or diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis received a CE-MRI of the fingers. Additionally, pseudo-CT images were derived from non-contrast MRI (pCT) and from contrast-enhanced MRI data (CE-pCT) using a high-resolution gradient-echo 3D fast low-angle shot sequence (FLASH), respectively.